Dropkixx rally in second half with late run
SAN JOSE, CA – Through 50 minutes of exciting SPL action, there was
not too much separating the Riots from the Dropkixx on Monday afternoon at
Spartan Field. The two league favorites
battled away, trading goals in a game that saw seven lead changes and eight
ties, but the last 10 minutes belonged to the Dropkixx, scoring four of the
final five goals to steal the victory.
The
first half was played like a heavyweight prize fight with both teams trading
blows. Angela “Phoenix” Nunez opened the
scoring for the Riots just over four minutes into the match on a feed from SPL
leading scorer Emmy “Go Go Gadget” Belding.
The Dropkixx answered back netting the next two, first from Katie
“Batgirl” Bonadies from Roxy “Storm” Kamal and then from Hallsie “Catwoman”
Pacheco from Stephanie “Pink Ranger” Righetti.
The Kixx lead was short-lived, however, as the Riots snatched the lead
back, scoring two quick goals in 30 seconds.
Jessica “Xena: Warrior Princess” Ingram tallied her first of the game
and Belding followed suit on a pass from Kelsy “Supergirl” Holm. The Dropkixx once again went in front as
Pacheco found the back of the net twice.
Ingram and Belding each scored once again for the Riots as goalkeeper
Nina “Rogue” Butera notched her second assist of the season and Kim
“Kimpossible” Johnston also pitched in with a helper.
With
the score at 5-4 in favor of the Riots, both teams traded goals twice going
into halftime with Bonadies and Kamal scoring for the Dropkixx and Ingram and
Belding netting for the Riots.
“It
was a crazy first half with back and forth action,” Riots goalkeeper Butera
commented. “I am looking for our team to
respond in the second half with feverish fluidity.”
“I
think this game represents the best the SPL has to offer,” SPL Commissioner
Jeff “Mr. Fantastic” Leightman said.
“The fans were treated to some great action, wonderful goals, and
spectacular creativity and personality.
Little girls everywhere are dying to grow up into SPL players!”
The
second half began with the same goal scoring prowess as the first half. The Dropkixx quickly reestablished the lead
when Righetti scored on an assist from Bonadies and then Bonadies added a goal
herself from Kamal. Nunez notched her
second of the afternoon from Ingram to knot the score at 8-8. Righetti connected again for the Kixx from
Lauren “Mystique” Ng-Pinkerton and then Kamal scored on a pass from Pacheco to
take a two goal advantage. Johnston
scored for the Riots to trim the lead, but an own goal moments later pushed the
lead back to two. Belding and Holm
responded once again for the Riots, sandwiching a Pacheco goal to cut the Kixx
lead to 12-11.
Unfortunately
for the Riots, that was as close as they could come as the last 10 minutes
belonged to the Dropkixx. Bonadies
scored on an assist from Shanelle “Electra” Furner followed by Kamal. Belding netted her 5th goal of the
afternoon, but it wasn’t enough for the Riots as the Dropkixx added two more
from Michelle “Wonder Woman” Haughey and Ng-Pinkerton to complete the win.
“We
really have concentrated on the second half all season,” Dropkixx captain Sarah
“Wolverine” Wisotsky said. “We are doing
tons of extra fitness at our undisclosed Dropkixx training facility and are only
feeding the players just enough to stay alive so they come out like hungry like
ravenous wolves on game day.”
Match Statistics
Scoring
1. Angela
Nunez (Belding) Riots 4:11
2. Katie
Bonadies (Kamal) Dropkixx 5:36
3. Hallsie
Pacheco (Righetti) Dropkixx 12:08
4. Jessica
Ingram (unassisted) Riots 12:35
5. Emmy
Belding (Holm) Riots 13:01
6. Hallsie
Pacheco (2) (unassisted) Dropkixx 16:02
7. Hallsie
Pacheco (3) (unassisted) Dropkixx 17:23
8. Jessica
Ingram (2) (Butera) Riots 18:48
9. Emmy
Belding (2) (Johnston) Riots 20:00
10. Katie
Bonadies (2) (Furner) Dropkixx 20:36
11. Jessica
Ingram (3) (unassisted) Riots 21:44
12. Roxy Kamal (Righetti) Dropkixx 21:54
13. Emmy Belding
(3) (unassisted) Riots 24:53
14. Stephanie
Righetti (Bonadies) Dropkixx 30:25
15. Katie
Bonadies (3) (Kamal) Dropkixx 30:58
16. Angela Nunez (Ingram) Riots 31:12
17. Stephanie
Righetti (Ng-Pinkerton) Dropkixx 34:04
18. Roxy Kamal
(2) (Pacheco) Dropkixx 38:36
19. Kim Johnston (unassisted) Riots 43:22
20. Own Goal Droppkixx 44:51
21. Emmy Belding
(4) (Johnston) Riots 44:56
22. Hallsie
Pacheco (4) (Ng-Pinkerton) Dropkixx 46:45
23. Kelsy Holm (Ingram) Riots 50:17
24. Katie
Bonadies (4) (Furner) Dropkixx 50:23
25. Roxy Kamal
(3) (unassisted) Dropkixx 52:50
26. Emmy Belding
(5) (unassisted) Riots 53:26
27. Michelle
Haughey (Pacheco) Dropkixx 54:17
28. Lauren
Ng-Pinkerton (unassisted) Dropkixx 58:58
Score 1st 2nd Final
Dropkixx 6 10 16
Riots 7 5 12
Shots 1st 2nd Total
Dropkixx 22 26 48
Riots 23 23 46
Transactions: Sarah
“Wolverine” Wisotsky earned her first yellow card for berating league
officials. SPL Assistant Commissioner
Craig “The Joker” Winans has promised a thorough investigation of the incident
to see if further sanctions against Ms. Wisotsky and the Dropkixx are
warranted. In other league news, Lauren
“Cyclops” Sanchez, in an amazing humanitarian display, has donated one of her
eyes and all of her salary to help needy soccer children in Africa.
Jeff “Lex
Luthor” Leightman
Commissioner
SPL
Spartan Premier League
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/jeff.leightman/SPL.htm
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